Dishwashing machine



April 1947- J. H. POWERS DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1942 3 eets-Sheet 1 Inventor James H. Pow

'His Attorney.

April 1, 1947. POWERS 2,418,366

DISK- WASHING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /2 /19 Fig.5. Fig.5

Inventor Ja es H. Powers,

Hi5 Attorneg.

April 1, 1947. J. H. POWERS I DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. I0

Fig.

fille I: IIIII/l/ill a 1 I I I I a w s u r e r n OW F 0 0 mP/lw vH A .1? .5 e H m J w m a r 1 m. mm x 0 w n .m urn w Patented Apr. 1, 1947 DISHWASHING MACHINE James H. Powers, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application April 17, 1942, Serial No. 439,313

13 Claims. (Cl. 13457) The present invention relates to a dishwashin machine having a washing element which may be mounted in a sink drain opening and whichmay be operated by the motor of a waste disposal unit having a casing depending from the sink drain and in which a mixture of food waste and water is reduced to a flowablc condition and discharged to a sewer system. The mounting of the dishwashing element in the sink drain opening eliminates the need for a separate tub, and

. the association of the dishwashing element with the waste disposal unit prevents clogging of the sewer drain system by food particles removed from the dishes during washing. These advantages can, if desired, be eliminated and the constructional features may be applied to other Washing machines.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in washing machines and in particular in,a dishwashing machine of the above described type, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claim appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a pertapered wall 8 (Fig. 9) clamped between a flange 9 beneath the sink and a flange Illat the upper I end of a sleeve II depending through the drain spe'ctive view, partly broken away, of a dishwashing machine embodying my invention arranged in a sink equipped with a waste disposal unit; Fig. 2 is an exploded View of the sink drain opening and the sink stopper used to control the waste disposal unit; Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the dishwashing machine; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the dishwashing machine; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the sink drain opening with the dishwashing element mounted therein; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on line 'I'I of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation through the sink drain opening and the sink stopper for controlling the waste disposal unit; Fig. 10 is an elevation of one of the flow interlocks for controlling the operation of the dishwasher and waste disposal unit; Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the flow interlock; Fig. 12 is a control diagram for the dishwasher and waste disposal unit; and Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the cover switch for the dishwasher.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a sink I having a swivell-ed mixing faucet 2 connected through valves 3 and 4 to hot and cold water supply lines 5 and B. In the bottom wall of the sink is a drain opening I defined by a opening. From one aspect the sleeve II defines a well at the bottom of the sink through which the sink drains. The flanges 9- and III are clamped by means of studs I2 in a flange I3 threaded on the lower end of the sleeve II, The lower ends of the studs I2 project through holes I4 in a flange I5 at the upper end of a casing section I6 for a waste disposal unit shown in my application Serial No. 393,227, filed May 13, 1941, now Patent 2,322,058, patented June 15, 1943. The casing flange I5is clamped to the under side of the flange I3 by nuts I'l threaded on the studs I2. The transmission of vibration from the casing I6 to the sink is prevented by a'rubber ring I8 arranged between adjacent surfaces of the flanges I3 and I5 and having cylindrical portions I9 surrounding the studs I2. Rubber washers 20 are arranged between the nuts I1 and the under side of the flange I5. At the lower end of the casing section I6 is fixed a casing section 2I within which is mounted a frusto-conical shredding chamber 22 described in detail in my above patent. At the lower end of the casing section 2| is fixed an electric motor 23 having a flywheel 24 on its shaft provided with impeller blades 25 for whirling a mixture of food wastes and water around the shredding chamber 22 to reduce the same to a condition suitable for discharge through a trap 21 to a pipe 28 connected to a sewer system.

The operation of the waste disposal unit is controlled by a sink stopper of the type disclosed in my Patent 2,185,037. The stopper comprises a disk 29 having a tapered surface 30 arranged to be pressed in sealing engagement with a tapered seat 3| at the lower end of the sleeve II. Projecting inwardly from the lower end of the sleeve II are ledges 32 (Fig. 2) which cooperate with shoulders 33 of the disk 29 to locate the disk in the sink drain. Rotatably seated on the under side of the disk 29 is a disk 34 fixed to projection 3511 on a handle 35. The ends of the handle overlap the top of the disk 29 and the projections 35a extend through ports 39 in the disk 29. The disks29 and 34 are held together by spring-pressed pins 3o (Fig. 9) arranged in socket 31 at the ends of the: handle. At the lower end of the disk 34 are lugs 38 which cooperate with the under side of the ledges 32 upon twisting of the handle 35 to clamp the sink stopper in place. When the handle 35 is onposite the legend Remove on the flange I0,

are moved out of register with the ports 39 in the. disk 29' so that the sink drain opening is sealed. Whenthe handle 35 is turned to a position opposite the legend On on the flange III, the lugs 38 still engage the under side of the ledges 32 to hold the-sink stopper in place and lugs 40 on the disk 34 engage the operating lever 4| of a switch 42 controlling the waste disposal unit 23 andmove the. switch from the "Ofif position, illustrated in Figs; 9 and 12, to the On position. In this conditionthe waste disposal unit is conditioned for operation. Because the waste disposal unit cannot be operated until the sink stopper i locked in place, possible injury to the operator is prevented. Upon turning of the handle from the On" position the switch-operating lever 4| is returned to the Ofi'? position by a spring 43.

In the On position ports in the disks 29 and 34 are again in register so that water can drain into the waste disposal unit during its operation. This is necessary-inorder that the solid particles of the food wastes which are being reduced in size by the operation of the waste disposal unit may be mixed with water so as to provide a flowable mixture which will not clog thesewer drain pipes. The watersupplied to thewaste disposal unit should be cold so that greases in the food wastes will not be melted.

To insure the presence of the required minimum amount of cold water during the operation of the waste disposal unit, a flow interlock described in my Patent 2,244,402 is connected in the cold water suppy line 6. The flow interlock comprises a casing 44 having inlet and outlet/connections 45 and 46 for connection in the cold water supply line. The inlet connection 45 is in a nipple 45a threaded in to the casing 44. In the nipple 45a above the inlet connection 45 is a restricted orifice 41 at the lower end of an enlarged chamber 48 in which is slidably mounted a plunger 49. The plunger has spaced ribs 59 on its side walls which guide at its upper end arranged to telescope within the the movement of the plunger in the chamberguided in an'opening 52 in a spider 53-threaded on the upper end of the nipple a. Between the upper end of the nipple 45a and the spider 53 is V a flange 54 on the plunger 49. In the lowermost position of the plunger, illustrated in Fig. 11, the flange 54 rests on the upper end of the nipple 45a and provides a more or less effective seal depending on the nature of the abutting surfaces. In the uppermost position of the plunger, the flange 54 engages the under side of the spider. The plungeris held in its lowermost position by an ofiset arm 55 on the inner end of a spindle 58 journaled in the side wall of the flow interlock.

lowermost position, as illustrated in Fig. 11, and i the screw 59 engages the switch operating member 60 and holds the switch in the open position. Upon. opening of the cold water faucet, as explained in detail in my above patent, the plunger 49 is raised to a position which is substantially wholly dependent upon the rate of flow in the cold water line. This position may be varied by adjustment of the set screws 58 and 59. When the proper flow of cold water is obtained, the arm 5'! is moved in a counterclockwisedirection, moving the screw 59 away from the switch operating member 60 and causing the switch toclose. The switch 6| remains closed so long as the proper flow of cold water is maintained so that the opwhich includes line conductor 52, motor 23, conductor 63, flow interlock switch 6|, conductor 64, sink stopper switch 42, and line conductor 65.

When the machine is to be used for washing dishes, the .sink stopper is removed and a dishwas'ing element-is mounted in the sink drain opening. The dishwashing element comprises a housing or carrier having a cylindrical portion 56 drain sleeve H and having a tapered seat 61 cooperating with the seat 3! to provide a fluid-tight seal. Below the seat 61 the housing is reduced in diameter to clear the inner edge of the seat 3|, and the reduced portion is provided with indentations 68 to clear the ledges 32. The inner walls of the indentations 68 are continuations of a cylindrical section 69 at the lower end of the housing. Projecting from the housing within the indentations 68 are pins 10 which cooperate with the under side of the ledges 32 upon clockwise turning of the housing (Figs. 5 and 7) to lock the housing in the sink drain opening. A handle bail 1| i provided for convenience in inserting and turning the housing. does not touch the operating lever 4| for the sink stopper switch 42 so the control circuit for the waste disposal unit is open when the dishwasher housing is in place. The lower end of the housing is partially closed by an annular ring 12 integral with the cylindrical housing section 69. At the center of the ring 12 is a bearing housing 13 supported by three spaced radial rib -.14 extending between the bearing housing and the under side of the ring 12. The space betwee the'bearing housing 13 and the central opening in the annular ring 12 provides a drain opening for the housing which is open at all times; This drain opening is large enough to permit the free passage of food particles removed from the dishes during washing. J ournaled in the bearing housing 13 is a shaft 14a having a dishwashing impeller 15 fixed to its upper end and having its lower end connected by a bayonet joint 15 to the upper end of a tubular shaft TI. The lower end of the shaft I1 is connected through a spring 18 a compression spring 51a having an adjusting.

screw 58. The upper end of the arm 51 is provided with an adjusting screw 59 for cooperation with the operating member 60 of a normally closed micro switch 6|.

(Fig. 4) to 'a'coupling member 19 having projections arranged to fit in corresponding depressions 8| .in the waste disposal unit flywheel 24. Thistype of coupling is one which can easily be moved into. engagement, and, due to the "spring 18,, the dishwa hing housing can be inserted in the sink drain even though the projections '89 The dishwasher housing .15 is conventional.

do not line up with the depressions 8|. The pro- Jections will move into the depressions as soon as the flywheel turns to the proper position.

The construction of the dishwasher impeller It comprises two helical blades 82 spiralled around a hub 83. The outer edge of the blades has a running clearance with the inside of the cylindrical housing section 69. with the upper surface of the annular ring 12, and also with a shroud ring 84 which forms an extension of the cylindrical housing section 69. The upper end of the shroud ring 84 projects slightly above the bottom of the sink and serves upward into the sink. The liquid is conducted to the impeller from the bottom of the sink through an' annular passage between the shroud ring 84 and the housing section 66 and from this annularpassagethrough passages 86 betweenthe lower endof theshroud ring 84 and the housing'section "68. From the passages 86 the water is conducted to the impeller through slots 81 in the shroud'ring. The slots 81 are to direct the liquid from the impeller blades 82 somewhat above the lower ends of the impeller onto the impeller blades and is immediately thrown upward through the shroud ring. The impeller blades centrifugally create a fluid pressure head which effectively prevents leakage of water through the drain opening between the bearing housing 13 and the opening at the center of the annular ring 12. To further aid in preventing any slight leakage at this drain opening, there are shown additional impeller blades 88 intermediate the impeller blades 82, but in actual practice it has been found that the blades 88 are not necessary. Apparently there is a whirling annulus of water at the lower end of the housing which at all times during the rotation of the impeller at its normal running speed has an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the housing drain opening, The housing drain opening accordingly is effectively sealed at all times during the rotation of the impeller. As soon as the rotation of the impeller is stopped, the water in the sink is of course free to drain, From one aspect the housing-drain opening could be considered as centrifugally sealed. The centrifugal seal eliminates the need for a drain valve which might fail to seal due to food particles collecting P on the seats.

The dishes to be washed are loaded in a rack 89 having suitable provisions for holding the dishes, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the dirty surfaces face toward the water spray discharged by the impeller blades. The impeller discharge is generally upward, as indicated by the arrows 90 in Fig. 4, and also spirally around the sink in a direction perpendicular to the arrows 90, The dishes are spiralled around the impeller in the same general direction as the spray. During dishwashing, the top of the sink is closed by a cover 9| resting on a ledge 92 at the top-of the sink. Adjacent the sink back board 93 the ledge 92 is provided with a switch 94 (Fig. 13) having an operating member 95 actuated by a pin 96 on the under side of a flexible diaphragm 91 fixed across an opening 98 in the ledge. The switch operating member 95 is biased upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 13, and the pin 96 accordingly projects above the seat 82. When. the cover is in place, the pin 96 is depressed and moves the switch operating member 95 to the closed position. With this arrangement the dishwashing machine cannot be operated until the cover is in place. This keeps water from being sprayed out. side the sink. The cover has an opening 99 which is positioned to register with the mixing faucet 2. The opening 99 may be closed by aswivelled plate I00.

In the use of the dishwasher the sink should be filled with a small quantity of hot water. The

quantity of water is not very critical and may vary from one to two gallons in a sink of the size illustrated which is about 20" square and 10" deep. In the present machine the amount of hot water supplied is controlled by a flow interlock IOI in the hot water supply line of the construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The flow.

interlock IOI has a switch I02 connected in series with a solenoid I03 which actuates a switch I04 in series-with the cover switch 94 and the motor 23. The flow'interlock switch I02 is closed by the flow interlock plunger 5| by opening the hot water faucet 3 sufliciently to cause a predetermined flow of hot water. Since very hot water should be used in the dishwasher, the hot water faucetv can be opened to allow a smallerfiow until the water reaches the desired temperature and can then'be opened wider to cause the: closing of the flow interlock switch. Upon closure of the flow interlock switch a circuit is completed through the solenoid I03 which extends from line conductor 02 through the flow interlock switch I02, conductor I05, and solenoid I03 to line conductor 65. Upon energizing of the solenoid I03, the switch I04 is closed and is latched in the closed position by a latch I06. The closing of the switch I04 completes acircuit through the motor 23 which extends from line conductor 62 through motor 23, conductor 63, conductor I01, cover switch 94, conductor I08, and switch I04 to line conductor 65. The closing of the motor circuit starts the. rotation of the impeller, and accordingly water, which thereafter flows into the sink through the cover opening 99, is kept in the sink by the centrifugal sealing action resulting from the rotation of the impeller 15. The closure of the motor switch I04 also completes a circuit through an indicating lamp I09, a thermostatic switch H0, and a heating element III. This circuit extends from line conductor 62 through the flow interlock switch I02 to the indicating lamp I 09; and from the indicating lamp I09 through the thermostatic switch IIO, heating element I I I, conductor I08, and motor switch I04 to line conductor 65. At the end of a predetermined time the heating element I II causes the opening of the thermostatic switcl'r H0 and indicates to the operator that the required amount of water has been placed in the sink. At this time the operator manually closes the hot water faucet 3 and may add detergent through the cover opening 99. When the dishes have been washed for the required length of time the motor is stopped by pushing a latch release knob II2 to cause the opening of the motor switch I04. This stops the rotation of the impeller 15 and at the same'time stops the centrifugal sealing of the drain openingso that the water together with the food particles washed from the dishes drains into the waste disposal unit. The washing operation is followed by one or more rinsing operations which are carried out in the same manner aswashing except that no detergent is added. 7

Foreach washing or rinsing operation the operator positions the mixing faucet above the goes out, and pushes the latch release knob H2 when the operation is completed. The indicating lamp and latch release knob are mounted on the back board of the sink so as to be out of the way and yet conveniently accessible.

Due to the flow interlock controls in the hot and cold water supply lines, the waste disposal unit can be operated with cold water and the dishwashing unit can be operated only with hot water.'

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sinkhaving a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and an outlet for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a rotatable impeller for washing dishes in the sink, a carrier for said impeller removably mountable in the sink drain opening and having journaled therein a drive shaft for the impeller connectable to said shredding element and having a drain to the shredding chamber when mounted in said opening, and provisions for selectively preventing the flow of water through said drain.

2. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a housing removably seated in said opening, an impeller journaled on a vertical axis in said housing for discharging water upward into the sink, an intake passage for the impeller leading from the bottom of the sink through said housing onto the lower part of the impeller, a part for connection with a'sewer system depending from said drain opening, a motor drive for the impeller having a coupling within said part for connection with the impeller, and a drain opening in said housing positioned beneath said impeller so that during rotation of the impeller leakage is prevented by centrifugal forces set up by the impeller.

3. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sink having a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and an outlet for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a rotatable impeller for circulating water in the sink, a carrier for said impeller removably sealed in the sink drain opening and having a drive shaft for the impeller connectable to said shredding element, passages in the carrier for conducting water from the sink to the impeller, a drain opening in the carrier around the drive shaft below said passages, and

blades on the impeller cooperating with said carrier drain opening to create a pressure head preventing leakage during rotation of the impeller.

4. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sink having a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and an outlet for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a carrier removably insertable in said opening, a shaft journaled therein, a rotatable impeller on the shaft for circulating water in the sink,a shroud ring surrounding the impeller, passages around the shroud ring leading from the sink to the lower end of the impeller, a drain opening in the carrier below said passages, and a centrifugal element on said shaft for creating a pressure head preventing leakage through the carrier drain opening during rotation of the shaft, and means for connecting said shaft to said rotary shredding element.

5. In a combined dishwasher and waste disposal unit, a ink having a drain, a waste disposal unit having a shredding chamber for connection with a sewer system depending from the drain, a shredding impeller in said chamber, a control interlocking with a cold water supply to limit the operation of the impeller to shred waste material to such times as cold water is supplied to the shredding chamber, a dishwashing impeller removably seated in the drain opening and having a coupling for connection with the shredding impeller, a control interlocking with a hot water supply to limit the operation of the dishwashing impeller to such times as hot water is supplied to the sink, and means for disabling the first mentioned control during operation of the dishwashing impeller.

6. In a combined dishwasher and waste disposal unit, a waste disposal unit having a shredding chamber for connection with a sewer system, a shredding impeller in said chamber, a dishwashing compartment draining to said shredding chamber, a dishwashing element, a control for operation of th impeller responsive to the supply of cold water, a control for operation of the dishwashing element responsive to the supply of hot water, and provisions for disabling the first mentioned control during dishwashing.

"I. In a washing machine, a tub, a drain in the bottom of the tub, an impeller for washing material in the tub having a centrifugal element arranged to create a fluid pressure preventing leakage through said drain during operation of the impeller, a control for the washing machine including a device responsive to the flow of water to the tub for starting the operation of the im pellerat the start of the filling of the tub, timing means for indicating the length of time water is supplied to the tub, and means for stopping the impeller to drain the tub.

8. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sink having a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and'an outlet for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a rotatable impeller for washing dishes in the sink, a carrier for said impeller removably sealed in said drain opening, a drain opening in the carrier, an impeller drive shaft in the carrier extending through the carrier drain opening and connectable to said shredding element, and means on the drive shaft for centrifugally creating a fluid pressure preventing leakage through the carrier drain opening during rotation of the shaft.

9. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a part for connection with a sewer system depending from said opening, a housing removably sealed in said opening, a drain passage in said housingto said part, an impeller above said drain passage journaled in said housing for circ-ulating water in the sink, a centrifugal element above and overlapping said drain passage for creating a suction preventing leakage through said drain passage during rotation of said element, and a power drive for rotating said impeller and centrifugal element having a coupling in said part.

10. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sink having a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and an outlet for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a rotatable impeller for washing dishes in the sink, a carrier surrounding the impeller and removably ing the flow of water through the,carrier into the shredding chamber during rotation of the shaft.

11. In a dishwasher, a tub, an impeller at the bottom of the tub rotatable on a vertical axis for forcing water upward into the tub, a shroud ring surrounding the impeller and cooperating therewith to direct water upwardly, a drain opening inward of the periphery of and below the impeller, and walls in the tub in proximity to said shroud ring which define passages for conducting water to the impeller at a region where the impeller imparts sufiicient upward force to the water to prevent leakage through the drain opening during rotation of the impeller.

12. In a dishwasher, a tub, an impeller at the bottom of the tub rotatable on a vertical axis for forcing water upward into the tub, a shroud ring in the tub surrounding the impeller for confining the water during rotation ofthe impeller to an annulus surrounding the impeller, a drain opening radially inward of the inner periphery of the lower part of said annulus, and a wall which surrounds the shroud ring and defines therewith a passage for conducting water from the bottom of the tub to the lower outer part of said annulus.

13. In a dishwasher, a sink having a drain opening, a waste disposal unit below the sink having a shredding chamber with an inlet connected to the sink drain opening and an outlet 10 for connection with a sewer system, a rotary shredding element in said chamber, a carrier removably insertable in said opening, a shaft journaled therein, means for connectingsaid shaft to said rotary. shredding element, a rotatable impeller on the shaft for circulating water in the sink, a shroud ring surrounding the impeller, passages around the shroud ring leading from the sink to the lower end of the impeller, and a drain opening in the carrier below said passages.

JAMES H. POWERS.

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